Mining machine truck



Oct. 12, 1943. A. L. LEE

MINING MACHINE TRUCK Filed April 9, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 1 2, 1943.

A. L. LEE

MINING MACHINE TRUCK Filed April 9, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 12, 1943. LEE

MINING MACHINE TRUCK Filed April 9, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 @5 9am, a7. 71%

Oct. 12, 19436 A. L. LEE

- MINING MACHINE 'mwcx Filed April 9, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 M m M 3 llflllllllllllllllllllllfll Patented Oct. 12, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE assignments, to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application April 9, 1941, Serial No. 387,568 8 Claims. (01.105-161) This invention relates broadly to trucks for carrying mining machines, specifically cutting machines such as are used in coal mining, and also to the problem of providing a satisfactory and practical means of carrying a dust-laying liquid medium, such as water, to the scene of operation of a mining machine, where it'may be sprayed upon the operating cutter.

A great deal of difiiculty has been experienced in providing a liquid dust-laying medium at the point of cutting. Piping is inconvenient andimpractical. Efforts have been made along the'l'ine of tank trucks for independent operation, and, tank trailers for attachment to mining machine-- carrying trucks, but such extra vehicles-are in the way of the normal operations of moving and using cutting machines, and also interfere with removal of the mined material, and are generally unsatisfactory.

It is well known mining practice to move a mining machine, as for example a short wall chain cutter, by means of a special truck, the

practice being to mount the machine in a skid-- way that is pivoted for horizontal swinging and also for tilting upon the truck, so that the machine may be discharged from, -or loaded upon, the tilted skidway from any point with a certain range adjacent the truck;

I have avoided the difficulties and inconvenience incident to use of piping, and the use of vehicles serving only as movable tanks, by utilizing a tank structure as the body andchassis of a mining machine-carrying truck.

The development of such a tank truck presents a. number of serious problems. Obviously, to be satisfactory, a tank vehicle for providing liquid to a cutting machine for dust-laying, must have a reasonably large capacity. height and width of mine vehicles is limited by mine conditions, and since in a mining machine carrying truck the height must be limited to provide vertical clearance between the mine roof and width of the vehicleand giving it adequate liquid capacity, are those encountered in maintaining the tank structure rigid, and providing for com pensation of unevenness in a mine floor or track on which thetank truck runs. Because of the stringentlimit'ation to restricted dimensions, ver- Since the overall tically as well as laterally orthe vehicle structure, it is not permissible; to use cushioning means, such as the spring structures normally usedin vehicles. a 7 i One object or the invention is to providea novel truck, the chassis or which. terms a tank of adequate capacity and of adequate strength to su port a mining machine, wherein the over all height and of theloaded truck' are held withinstrict I Another object -ofthe invention is to rovide a novel organization oil such: a chassis and the truck axles, whicnou'slnoris the-truck chassis in travel of the truck over uneven track or floor surfaces in the mine, without utilizingcushioning means which add t'o theheigl'itand Width required by the chassis, axles :and'wheels ot the tank truck. I a

Still another object or the invention is the provision of a; novel axle-assembly providing a rocking support tor avehicle chassis An additionai object-or the invention is: to pro vide, in' a tank tru'ck; of the indicated sort, pump mounting =s'o arranged :thata pump is usefully carried by the truck without projecting beyondthe boundaries of a space delimited-bythe i urthest vertical and horizontal extent of thestructure formed by theitiuckitseli and a machine mounted in'oarryi'rig position on the truck; 3 1' Inthe accompanying drawings: Figure 1 "is a topplan view of my t'ank truck. Figure 2' is an eievational viewol the; same truck.

Figure 3' is an .enlarged plan view or the tank formingthetruck chassisr Figure 4 is anel'evational view-or such:

Figure 5 is:across-sectional view takenrin-the plane of ithe: sectiorn'line 'of Figuref 4.

Figure: 6- is a view: showing the t'rdckpartlyz rear elevation. and part'lyiin cross-sectioninithe plane of the section line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure '2 is i a cr-oss-sectionaI view through the truck structure, taken einthe" plane of the I rear axle oftheitan'k .trii'clr;v indicated by the sectionlinellsotFigurez;

Figure 8 is ;a crbssa-sectiional view through the truck structure in the planeof the front -axle oi: the tank :truck 1 as" indicated by the :section l ine 8---8- ofFigure 2.- l

Figure 9 is a fragmentaryyertical sectional: dc-

tail viewwta'keri imthevplane opt-h {smtibn m 9+9 ofiEigureB. p

Figure 10 is 'airagmeutary sectional detail view;

taken: the? piano of ithe section line to; wet

Figure 8, in the region of the rear axle of the tank truck, showing the front axle itself in cross-section and the adjacent region of the truck chassis inelevation.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in the drawings, the vehicle chassis is designated generally by reference numeral I0. It is carried by a forward pair of wheels II and a rear pair of wheels I 2, arranged upon such wheelbase that the vehicle can be used without using undertrucks, or other articulating structure. The wheels of both the respective pairs are spaced from each other across the chassis at the standard gauge used in mine tracks.

The chassis I extends vertically from a bottom level that is as low as consistent with ade quate track clearance for the vehicle, and that reaches upwardly to a level as high as is consistent with the provision of head-clearance for a machine carried by the truck. In plan, the chassis I0 comprises at waist or necked-in portion I3, a nose portion I4 that extends forward of the front wheels II, and a tail portion I5 that extends rearward of the wheels I2. The nose and tail portion I4 and I5 are of a width substantially equal to the distance between the outer surfaces of the paired wheels, while the waist portlon I3 lies within the boundaries in line with the inner surfaces of suohwheels. The effect of this contour is to provide longitudinal recesses IS in the sides of the chassis, within which the wheels are positioned, with space between the inner surfaces of the wheels and the sides of the chassis for the driving mechanism. Preferably the bottoms of the nose and tail portions are inclined asshown to give additional clearance at the ends of the vehicle.

As heretofore indicated, the chassis I0 is arranged in theform of tank including a bottom wall I I, side wall I8 and a top wall I9. These structural elements are integrated by welding into a box-like structure forming the tank. The top wall ofthe tank provides a supporting deck upon which the machine carried by the truck is supported. In order to give the tank the necessary rigidity to resist the stresses imposed upon it in service, by the weight of a mining machine and that of the liquid contained in the tank, a system of bracing is used, advantageously including vertical plates extending between the top andbottom walls of the tank diagonal plates (see Figure 3) extended through the waist portion I3 between diagonally opposed wheels, and crossed braces 2I in the tail portion I5 of the tank;

Transverse bracing plates, such as the bracing plates 22 extended across the tank at the line of junction between nose I4 and waist I3, and between waist I3 and tail I5, also may be provided. The bracing plates are perforated to permit restricted flow of liquid between the divisions of the tank that they separate, and serve as surge lates.

The chassis tank I0 is mounted on axles; and, to economize height, the axle are extended through the chassis at a level between the top and bottom walls. To this end, one of the axles, preferably the rear axle, designated 23, is mounted in a tube 24 (Figures 3, 4 and 7), which extends through the interior of the tank between the side walls I8, to which it is welded, so that the interior of the tube is sealed off from the interior of the tank. Plates 25 and 26, respectively, extend from the top and bottom of the tube up to the top wall I9 and bottom I'Iof the tank structure. These plates 25 and 26 are welded to the axleassociated with axle 36 bears.

tube and the tank walls, and are perforate for the passage of liquid. Bushings 2! afford bearings for the axle 23, to which the wheels I2 are secured by hub assemblies 29.

As the liquid-containing character of the tank requires that it be rigid, means are provided to relieve the tank of torsional stresses caused by uneven tracks. For this purpose the forward axle 30 is assembled with the tank in such manner as to permit relative transverse rocking between the tank-chassis of the truck and the axle. Referring to Figures 4, 8 and 9, it will be seen that this axle 30 is positioned within an axle-way 3|, set off from the interior of the tank by side plates 32 and a top plate 33 extended across the chassis between the side Walls I8 of the tank, to which their ends are welded. The meeting edges of the top wall 33 and side walls 32 are also welded together. This structure provides an axle-containing, liquid-tight, recess within the limits defined by the bounding walls of the tank structure.

The axle 3D is surrounded by a tubular housing 34, in which it is rotatably mounted by bushings 35. The housing 34 and the axle 30 are positioned in the axle-way in floating relation to the tank by means of a plate 36 that is bowed up centrally into contact with the top plate 33 of the axle-way, which plate 33 constitutes a bearing plate for the axle assembly. Bowed plat 36 has its ends engaged with and welded to the housing 34 adjacent the side walls I-8 of the tank. Reinforcing plates 31 have upper edges 38 that are curved to conform with, and are welded to the side edges of the bowed plate 36. The axle assembly may thus rock on the bearing plate 33 when inequality in the track, or floor, on which th vehicle runs is encountered; and since the axle assembly is not tied to the truck chassis, this rocking occurs without transmitting torsional stresses to the chassis.

A strut plate M is interposed between the wall 33, which forms the roof of the axle-way, and the top wall I9 of the tank. In order to provide communication for liquid flow between th tank sections in front of and behind the axle-way 3 I, a duct 42, having its bottom wall 43 substantially level with the bottom wall II of the tank, extends across the axle-way below the axle. This permits the forward, or nose portion of the tank to drain toward the rearward portion where the truck's pump is mounted. As noted, the axle assembly is not tied to the chassis structure, and means to prevent transverse shifting of the axle assembly is therefore provided. Such means consist of balk plates 80, secured to the side members of the chassis by bolts BI to close both ends of the axle-way. In each of thebalk plates there is a window 82, which permits protrusion of the axle but which is too small to give assage to the plates?! attached to the axle.

To support a mining machine, as shown in dotted lines at A in Figure 2, and to permit the machine to be loaded and unloaded in accordance with current mining practice, a deck 45 is mounted above the top wall I9 of the tank on a vertical pivot, which permits horizontal swinging movement of the deck. A skidway 46, for receiving and discharging the mining machine, is horizontally pivoted on the deck 45. The pivotal mounting for the deck includes a pintle-receiving and load-transmitting socket, or Well. This socket, or well, is formed by a tube 41, which rests on, and is welded to the plate 33, against which the bowed rocker plate 36,

The tube 41 extends upwardly through the top wall I 9 of the tank to provide a. bearing 4.8 for. the deck and for the pivot pin, or pintle 6.9.. The. pivot. pin 49 depends rotatably into the tube 41, and has a head 50., that bears. on the upper surface of the deck 4.5. The deck 4-5, is. thus rotatable about the; center line of the tube 41 and pin 49. A wear plate 5[ is desirably inserted between the top wall ll! of the tank and the deck 45.

It; will be noted that thisv structure is arranged to transfer a load upon the deck 45 immediately to,- the tube 4.1; thence to the, bearing plate 3:3, and through the rocking assembly 36,, 3?, 39 to. tbe housing 35 and axle 3t.

Spaced; forwardly of the pivot assembly just described, and at the forward, edge of the deck 45, horizontal pivot mountings 52 are secured to the deck 45. On a transverse axis provided by the horizontal pivots 52, there is mounted for vertical tilting a skidway consisting of angle bar rails 53, a rear cross member 54, carrying a. latch 55 for holding the skidway in horizontal position, and a front plate 55; the skidway being of known construction. Current practice requires that a mining machine be loaded from angular relation to the truck, and hence that the skidway be vertically tiltable in all positions with respect to the truck chassis into which it may be horizontally swung. As indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, the nose portion i l of the tank, which for added capacity is extended beyond the pivot mountings 52 of the skidway, is rounded, and the upper part of the rounded portion is beveled off, as at 51, Figures 1 and 2;

to provide clearance for the tilted skidway in anyangular position.

The top wall IQ of the tail portion lb of the tank serves as a deck upon which is mounted a pump Ell. The pump is connected with the interior of the tank by a pipe 6!, and with a flow connection 62. Pump 6!] is desirably of a double acting type, so that by means of suitable hose connections liquid may be pumped from a source of supply, as a water sump, through connection 62 as an intake, and discharged into the tank by pipe 6! or pumped from the tank and discharged through connection 62 to a hose and to the cutting. A cable carried by a reel 63 supplies power to the pump motor 64 through a controller 65.

The top wall [9 of the tank, throughout the sections l5, l3 and I 4, is formed of a continuous metal plate. All of the walls, including the internal bracing walls, and the walls forming the axle ways, are welded so that the entire chassisforming tank is in effect a single integral structure. This gives the entire assembly adequate strength and stiffness to resist the severe load conditions imposed upon it in service.

The truck is propelled by the motor of a mining machine, carried by the truck and mounted on the skidway, through a sprocket chain 66 which engages a sprocket 8'1 mounted on the forward axle 30. The rear wheels l2 are positively driven from the forward axle 34] by a sprocket and chain assembly '68, 89, it. The cable reel 63 is driven by a pulley connection H from a jack shaft 12, and this in turn is driven from the rear axle 23 by a sprocket chain 13.

In use, the truck brings the cutting machine to the face where cutting is to be accomplished and there discharges it. The truck may then be shifted back, by any suitable means of propulsion, a sufficient distance to permit free operation of the cutting machine, and the cutting tank and arranged to set 01? an axle-way from the interior of the tank, the said walls including a horizontal top wall arranged to be supported: by an axle assembly positioned in the axle-way, and a tubular member arranged vertically and I extended between said top wall and the top ofthe tank, said member being both a socket for the pivot element of" the'mi-ning machine support and a structural element transmitting the load of the said mining machine support to the horizontal top wall of the axle-way.

2. In a mining machine-carrying truck comprising a tank structure for containing liquid and that constitutes a chassis for supporting a mining machine; a tube extending transversely of the tank between the top and bottom thereof and providing a passage from side to side sealed off from the interior of the tank, an axle extending through the tube and rigidly mounted with respect to it, walls extending transversely of the tank and setting off a transverse axleway from side to side of the tank and between its top and bottom, an axle extending through the said axle-way, and axle-carried structure for supporting the-tank on said axle, said axlecarried structure providing support for the tank at a single point and permitting rocking motion between the tank and axle.

3. In a mining machine-carrying truck that includes a chassis-forming tank, longitudinally spaced transverse structures arranged between the top and bottom walls of the tank and enclosing axle-ways, the said structures being extended through and secured to the side walls of the truck, axles extended across the tank through the axle-ways and mounted in supporting relation thereto, and brace plates extended vertically between the top and bottom walls of the said tank, and diagonally between the points of junction of the respective axle-ways and the opposite side walls of the tank, the top and bottom longitudinal edges of the said brace plates being secured to the top and bottom walls of the tank and the vertical end edges of the said plate being butted against the respective axleway structures and secured to the respective side walls of the tank and to the respective axle-way structures.

4. In a truck for carrying a mining machine, said truck being provided with spaced forward and rear axles and wheels, and a tank extending between said wheels to provide a chassis for carrying a mining machine, a tube extending transversely through said tank and arranged in supporting relation therewith, said tube being spaced above the bottom wall of said tank and sealed from the inside thereof, one of said axles extending through said tube and having rocking versely of the tank and defining a transverse axle-way sealed from the inside of said tank, an axle extending through said axle-Way above the bottom wall of the tank, and having rocking support in said axle-way intermediate the sides of said tank, and a duct extending across said axleway between said axle and the bottom wall of the tank, and having its bottom arranged on substantially the same level as said bottom wall of the tank.

6. A truck for carryinga mining machine constructed in accordance with claim 5, wherein the duct is relatively narrow and located substantially below the center of transverse rocking movement of said axle so as to afford vertical clearance for the opposite ends of said axle.

7. A truck for carrying a mining machine constructed in accordance with claim 5, wherein the axle is supported adjacent opposite ends in a rocking member having an upwardly bowed central portion in rolling engagement with the upper wall within said axle-way.

8. A truck having spaced front and rear axles and wheels, a tank mounted on said axles and forming a substantially complete chassis structure for carrying a mining machine, said tank including deck portions disposed forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, of said front and rear wheels and extending laterally at opposite sides of the truck 'to substantially the full tread width of said wheels, and an intermediate tank portion connecting said front and rear deck portions and being of reduced width so as to accommodate the front and rear wheels at opposite sides of said truck.

ARTHUR L. LEE. 

